A selected number of students, faculty, staff, and administrators were bestowed with numerous honors Monday evening at the annual 2005 Awards Extravaganza in the Hughes-Trigg Theater.

Emcees and fellow students Katie Horgan and Matt Houston opened the event with brief description on the awards’ relationship with the university’s history.

They said that the awards “are based on academic performance, leadership, and community involvement.”

The introduction was followed by an Invocation done by S. Thomas Kincaid III. The State of the University was then delivered by Student Body President Chip Hiemenz.

In it, he thanked his mentors Kincaid and Dustin Odham – past student body presidents each – as well as numerous other key people at SMU. While reflecting on the past school year, Hiemenz quoted the University’s first president, Umphrey Lee: “While we rejoice in our success, it has only begun. We only make claims to victory only for the purpose for moving onto greater things.”

He announced that the campus crime rate has gone down over the past year, and considered the relationship between Student Senate and other student organizations to be improved due to more open lines of communication.

He said that key area to focus on is more participation by students in student-athletic events.

After Hiemenz’ address, the awards were handed out.

In all, a total of 21 awards were handed out to more than 90 students and organizations. Awards ranged from those handed out by the SMU Mother’s Club and the SMU Dads’ Clubs to the University’s most prestigious honor, the “M” award.